FILM REVIEW: How To Train Your Dragon 2

A new sequel from Dreamworks sees Hiccup & Toothless and all their Viking & winged friends return to face down a foe bent on controlling all dragons for his own evil reasons!

Absolutely brilliant! That was the verdict of our 10 & 12 year olds (and the adults were pretty much in agreement). It was a little long for our 4 year (1 hr 45 mins – a little longer than the average CGI animation), and a little too dark in some places, but she did enjoy most of it! The story was a good one, which kept us completely engaged throughout, as well as getting us better acquainted with the characters. The 3D really works, especially during any of the flying sequences, which have to be some of the best 3D CGI released to date, and there were enough jokes for the adults that flew suitably high over the kids heads. As understand it, the writers only agreed to the books being filmed on the basis that there would always be a trilogy… so roll on Part 3!

As you may recall, How To Train Your Dragon was a big success a couple of years ago for DreamWorks Animation (reminding Pixar they don’t have it all their own way!), and so a sequel was inevitable. Set five years on from the first, and the Berk Island Vikings are not only no longer at war with the dragons, but fully integrated – every villager has a four-legged, fire-breathing friend, and the friendship between Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless the Dragon, stoked in the peaceful mediation that ended the war, is still going strong. Hiccup’s dad Stoick (Gerard Butler) wants his son to take over as head of the clan, but Hiccup is more interested in exploring and mapping new lands. On one of these mapping trips with his faithful companion, Hiccup learns of fearsome dragon hunter Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou)’s master plan to take over the world by capturing, controlling and building an army of dragons. They also meet the mysterious dragon freedom-fighter Valka (Cate Blanchett) and Eret (Game Of Thrones‘ Kit Harington), one of Drago’s henchmen. This sequel does comes across slightly as a coming-of-age story, as Hiccup searches for his father’s approval whilst trying to make his own life choices, but is ultimately entertaining if a little heavier on younger audiences. Technically, the film is a real treat for the eyes to look at, with the 3D visuals guaranteed to keep you entertained – making How To Train Your Dragon 2 one of the best films DreamWorks has ever turned out!